Revilleza, Go surge; Araw-Araw shines at JPGT Alta Vista

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CEBU City – Lucas Revilleza and Avery Go moved a step closer to redemption after carding 74 and 75, respectively, as they took control of the 7-10 division in the ICTSI Alta Vista Junior PGT Championship at Alta Vista Golf and Country Club here on Monday.

Revilleza relied on a blazing finish under sweltering conditions, birdieing the last two holes of the rolling, ravine-laden layout to salvage a 2-over round. His strong closing stretch gave him a two-stroke cushion over fellow Davaoeño Ethan Lago, who had earlier bested him in the opening leg of the Visayas-Mindanao Series in Mactan last week.

Lago also birdied the par-5 18th for a 76, keeping himself within striking distance heading into the final round of the 36-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Cebu’s Ashton Araw-Araw impressed in his JPGT debut by acing the 81-yard No. 13 using a Ping 7-iron and a Kirkland No. 2 ball. However, a rough finish of bogey-double bogey-bogey saw him slip to a 90 and drop to fourth place behind Darren Ong, who carded an 86 in the youngest boys’ category.

“My driving clicked, but I still need to improve my short game,” said Revilleza, 9, from Rizal Memorial Colleges. Like many of the other contenders, he is playing the par-35-37 course for the first time, and his strong finish largely made up for a costly four-putt on the par-3 13th, which resulted in a double bogey.

On the girls’ side, Go assembled a roller-coaster round highlighted by four birdies against two double bogeys and three bogeys for a 75, giving her a three-shot lead over Zoey Mascariñas, who settled for a 78 after a bogey-bogey finish.

Mactan leg champion Akeisha Yocte, who had edged Go by two strokes previously, struggled with a birdie-less 80, while Bacolod’s Ana Marie Aguilar stayed within range with an 82 heading into the final round.

“This is my first time playing Alta Vista. It’s a tough course, though some holes are manageable. The most challenging part for me is putting, so I plan to improve on the greens in the final round tomorrow,” said 10-year-old Go, who is playing out of PAREF Southcrest School.

Meanwhile, the second leg of the JPGT Luzon Series gets going Tuesday, April 14, at Summit Point Golf and Country Club in Lipa City, Batangas. Winter Serapio and Chan Ahn will aim for back-to-back victories in the girls’ 7-10 and boys’ 11-14 divisions, respectively.

Focus will also shift to several promising debutants who missed last week’s opening leg at Mount Malarayat. Among them are 7-10 standouts Zoji Edoc and Zach Guico; 11-14 contenders Cailey Gonzales, Kelsey Bernardino, Tyra Garingalao, Javier Bautista, and Jacob Casuga; and top players in the 15-18 division, including Levonne Talion, Rafa Anciano, and Chloe Rada.

In the girls’ 11-14 division, Marqaela Dy surged at the finish, birdieing the final hole to card a 72 and edge past Zuri Bagaloyos, who shot a 73, setting up a compelling final-round duel between the rising Cebuana stars.

Dy leaned on her local knowledge to fire four birdies against two bogeys and a double bogey, boosting her confidence for a possible back-to-back win after capturing the Mactan leg title.

“I know how to read the greens,” said Dy, 13, of Singapore School-Cebu. “Chipping was the strongest part of my game, whether from the bunker or the rough, I was able to get it close.”

Still, she emphasized the need for consistency, saying, “I have to make sure my short game stays sharp because it’s what makes my game strong.”

Cagayan de Oro’s Isabella Espina stood at third with a 76, while South Cotabato’s Brittany Tamayo struggled in her series debut. After going 1-over through 10 holes, the former JPGT Vis-Min leg winner unraveled with a bogey-triple bogey on No. 12 and limped home with an 80.

In the boys’ 11-14 category, Laurence Saban pulled ahead in a scrambling finish, carding a 77 despite two bogeys over the last four holes to grab a one-stroke lead over Mico Woo, who birdied the 18th to salvage a 78.

Jared Saban also closed with a birdie, but not before surrendering the lead with two bogeys and two double bogeys in the previous four holes. He remained within striking distance with a 79, while young Kvan Alburo stayed in contention despite an 81.

“This is my first time playing here, but my game was okay, especially my driving and pitching,” said Laurence Saban in Filipino. “The key here is to make pars, and when you get birdie chances, you have to take advantage of them.”

David Gothong seized control in the boys’ 15-18 division, set over 54 holes, despite an 80, building a four-shot lead over Lucas Demiar and Sebastian Sajuela, who matched 84s, with Roman Tiongko lurking in fourth with an 86.

“I was sick in Mactan, but now I feel better,” said Gothong, who struggled to a fifth-place finish in the first leg dominated by absentee Alexis Nailga.

He credited his irons and putting for his strong start but emphasized the importance of consistency, adding, “I plan to focus on consistency and avoid making more mistakes.”

In the premier girls’ division, Dominique Gotiong sizzled late, birdieing Nos. 16 and 17 to salvage a 75 and draw level with Tashanah Balangauan, setting the stage for a spirited showdown after Balangauan’s lopsided win over Gotiong in Mactan.

“I started out well, practically making all my putts, and I hit a couple of late birdies,” said Gotiong, who noted that Alta Vista is shorter and wider compared to Mactan, where she had difficulty and finished behind Balangauan.

“I just want to score lower in the next two days and improve because I made two double bogeys today,” added the 17-year-old Gotiong, outlining her game plan as she pursues a second JPGT title after her breakthrough win in Bacolod last year.

Meanwhile, the 16-year-old Balangauan is also gearing up for another title run, saying, “I’ll just commit to every shot with confidence and embrace nature’s challenges.”

Lois Lane Go fell to a distant third with an 85.